This Life Is in Your Hands by Melissa Coleman
Harper • $25.99 • ISBN 9780061958328
April 12, 2011
If you’ve ever thought about leaving it all for a simpler life, Melissa Coleman’s memoir is for you. Her idealistic young parents left academic life to live on a Maine homestead in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Coleman was born during their first year on the property; sisters Heidi and Clare followed. They build a happy life there until toddler Heidi dies accidentally.
In this excerpt, the Colemans are seeing their land for the first time:
From the branches of a tree at the top of the slope they could see out to the ocean surrounding the cape on three sides. They also noticed a knoll where the forest opened up around what turned out to be a beautiful ash with a broad trunk and wide arching branches, a possible site for the house, and upon investigation they found a clear drinking water spring in the woods to the east. Their excitement dipped only when Papa took a spade to the earth to find sand and rock beneath the humus layer of forest floor.
“Poor soil,” he muttered. This was not the dream farm he’d had in his mind’s eye during the search, lacking as it did cultivated fields and a pond. But none of that mattered; it was their ground on which to stand, unbeholden to a mortgage or a bank, and it was up to them to make it into the dream.
What are you reading today?
Women Food and God by Geneen Roth
I just started “Ape House”, by Sara Gruen.
I’m reading These things hidden
I just started The girl with the dragon tattoo. Also listening to
Half-broke horses. Both good.
I’m reading through the Jeff Resnick paranormal mystery series by L.L.Bartlett. I downloaded the whole series on my Nook e-reader so I don’t have to wait for any of them!
They are: Murder on the Mind
Dead in Red
Cheated by Death
Bound by Suggestion (which I can’t find-may not be out yet)
-and 2 short stories, Bah Humbug + Cold Case
I’m reading “The Pursuit of Happiness” by Douglas Kennedy. I love his books.
Currently reading “The Pursuit of Happiness”, another great read from Douglas Kennedy.
Just finished “Strangers at the Feast” and, “She’s Come Undone” both 4 stars.
I’m reading The Pioneer Woman:Black Heels to Tractor Wheels–A Love Story by Ree Drummond.
Very, very entertaining…I wasn’t too sure about it at first but now find I can’t put it down!
Glad you like it! We love PW at BookPage—I got to meet her in December and she was our February cover girl: http://www.bookpage.com/books-10014151-The+Pioneer+Woman%3A+From+Black+Heels+to+T
Along with eighth graders , ( I substitute teach ), just finished Shift, by Jennifer Bradbury.
For myself, starting Randy Wayne White’s Deep Shadows.
I’m reading Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins along with my 10th grade students for our Big Read event.
What the Night Knows, by Dean Koontz
Crazy U by Andrew Ferguson
Finished ‘Dreamfever’ by Karen Marie Moning last night and ordered the next book in the series, ‘Shadowfever’ this morning. Listening to ‘Dream Man’ by Linda Howard.
I am reading The Sentry by Robert Crais
I am reading an advanced copy of Wither by Lauren DeStefano. It’s the first book in The Chemical Garden Trilogy.
I’m in the middle of I Think I Love You by Allison Pearson. In the first half two 13 year old girls in Wales, 1974 are obsessed with David Cassidy. In the second half it moves forward to 1998 to tell about them as adults.
I am reading Shadows On teh Hudson by Isaac Bashevis Singer – great classic! I am also reading The Drinking Den by Emile Zola, another great classic.